Fabricated wheel structure



Patented July 29, 1947 UNITED STATES iPATENT oFFicE FABRICATED WHEEL STRUCTURE Homer L. Mueller, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Welding Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 23, 1944, Serial No. 536,901

(Cl. i4-230.3)

Claims. 1

This invention relates as indicated to fabricated wheel` structures and more particularly to socalled wheel spiders adapted for attachment to a central hub and peripherally adapted for use eitherl as a driving sprocket or for the attachment'of other auxiliary devices such as rims and the like.

Prior art structures of the character to which the present invention relates have generally been formed of a casting, a lpractice which has obvious disadvantages. Where the prior art has resorted to fabricated structures, the Aparts from which the same have been composed have generally been so complex as to give rise to fabrication difficulties and high cost of manufacture. It is a principal object of my invention, therefore, to provide a structure of the character described which satisfies all of the requirements such as strength, rigidity, etc., and which at the same time may be manufactured easily and economically.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a structure of the character described in which the principal parts are all simple shapes and in which only three separate shapes are required in order to build up the complete unit.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of one-half of a wheel spider formed in accordance with the principle of my invention;

Fig, 2 is a transverse sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 2-2; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the assembly shown in the previous figures.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2, the assembly here illustrated comprises an inner annulus I so formed that its longest dimension in cross-section lies in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the annulus. Two identical annular members 2 and 3 which are angular in cross-section, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, are arranged with their axially 2 extending legs 4 and 5 respectively turned toward each other and with their legs 6 and 'I respectively extending radially inwardly.

The annular members I, 2, and 3 are maintained in assembled relation by means of a plurality of U-shalped members generally indi- Icated. at 8 in Fig. 3 and which comprise leg portions 9 and I0 connected by an integral intermediate portion I I. The portion I I lies in a plane parallel tothe plane of member I or a plane radially of the assembly with the upper edge I2 and the lower edge I3 arcuate in form to coincide with the arcuate form of the outer and inner Iperipheries respectively of the annulus I and the legs 9 andL Il) extend in a generally radial direction.'

vThe legs 9 and I0 are provided with projections I4 and I5, and I6 and I'I, respectively. These legs are arranged in Ipairs extending toward each other and their outer surfaces lie in a cylindrical planecoinciding with the cylinder defined by the inner periphery of the legs 4 and 5 of the angular members 2 and 3.

The various parts are maintained in assembled relation by welding and such welding operation may be performed by any of the commercially available processes such as gas welding or preferably electric arc welding.

The U-shaped members 8 are placed in sideby-side relation and accordingly the leg connecting portions I I thereof may be welded to the annulus I by substantially continuous circular beads at I8 and I 9; Fillet welds such as 20 in the corners between the legs I4, I5, I6, and I1, and the corresponding annular vmembers 2 and 3 with which they engage, will be suiiicient to maintain the parts in assembled relation.

As previously indicated, the fabricated structure just described may Ibe used as a sprocket, in which case the cylindrical surfaces provided by the annular members 2 and 3 form the bearing surfaces for the rollers on the sprocket chain and the space between the annular members 2 and 3 make possible engagement of the sprocket chain with the radially extending spokes each formed of two thicknesses of the stock from which the U-shaped member 8 is formed.

It should be noted that it is within the contemplation of my invention to omit either one of the annular members which have the angular cross-section, depending upon the particular end use to which the spider of my invention is to be placed.

While it is thus possible to provide an improved sprocket structure by the ruse of my invention, a rim or other like device may be secured to the 1. A Wheel spider comprising a rst annulus, 1a.

second annulus coaxial with said first annulus, and means for joining the saine embodying a plurality of U-shaped stampings withleg portionsof adjacent stampings abutted together, the stampings being welded in side-to-side relation to said rst and second annuli.

2. A Wheel spider comprising a fiat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension 'atv right angles to its aids, a second annulus having an angle-shaped cross-section, coaxial with said nat annulus, and means for joining the same embodying a plurality of U -shaped stampings Welded in side-to-side relation to said flat and angular shaped annuli. l f

3. A Wheel spider comprising a iat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at right angles to its axis,` a second annulus having an angle-shaped cross-section, coaxialvwith said flat annulus and positioned in a planespaced from said flat annulus, and means for joining the same embodying a plurality of U-shaped stampings welded in side-to-side relation to said iiat and angular shaped annuli.

4. A Wheel spider comprising a flat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at right angles to its axis, a secondannulus having an angle-shaped cross-section, coaxial Withsaid flat annulus and positioned inl a plane spaced from said flat annulus, one leg of such angleshaped annulus extending radially and the other extending axially, and a plurality of U-shaped stampings having that portion which connects Vits legs in a planeparallel to the plane of said liat annulus, said U-shaped members Welded 1in side-to-side relation to said flatand angular shaped annuli With the portion connecting said legs in contact with a radial face of said ila-t annulus.

5. A wheel spider comprising a flat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at right angles to its axis, a second annulus having an angle-shaped cross-section, coaxial with said at annulus and positioned in a plane spaced from said at annulus, one leg of such angleshaped annulus extending radially and the other extending axially, and a'plurality of U-shaped stampings having that portion which connects its legs in a plane parallel to the plane of said flat annulus, the ends of such legs bent toward each other, said U-shaped members WeldedV in side-to-side relation to said ilat and angular shaped annuli with the portion connecting said legs in contact with a radial face of said flat annuluS, and the bent ends of said legs in contact 4 with the inner face of the axially of said angle-shaped annulus.

6. A Wheel spider comprising a first annulus, a pair of angle-shaped outer annuli with one leg each extending axially, and a plurality of U- shaped stampings Welded in side-to-side relation to one face of said rst annulus and to said angleshaped annuli.

74. A wheel spider comprising .a iiat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at extending leg `right angles to its axis, a pair of angle-shaped outer annuli with one leg each extending axially, and a plurality of U-shaped stampings welded in side-to-side relation to one face of said ilat annulus and to said angle-shaped annuli.

- 8.`A wheel spider comprising a flat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at right angles to its axis, a pair of angle-shaped an- Y nuli with one leg each extending axially, and such axially extending legs directed toward each other in spaced relation, and a plurality of U-shaped stampings Welded in side-to-side relation to one face of said dat annulus and to said angle-shaped annuli.

9. A Wheel spiderV comprising a flat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at right angles to its axis, a pair of angle-shaped annuli with one leg each extending axially, and such axially extending legs directed toward each other in spaced relation, and a plurality of U- shaped stampings having that portion which connects its legs in a plane parallel to the plane of said iiat annulus, said portions connecting the legs of said U-shaped members welded in sideto-side relation to one face .of said at annulus and to said angle-shaped annuli.

10. A Wheel spider comprising a flat annulus having its greatest cross-sectional dimension at right angles to its axis, a pair of angle-shaped annuli with one leg each extending axially, and

such axially extending legs directed toward each other in spaced relation, and aplurality of U- shaped stampings having that portion which connects its legs in a plane parallel to the plane of said iiat annulus, spaced projections on the ends of such legs with the projections on the separate legs extending toward each other, said portions connecting the legs of said U-shaped members Welded in side-to-side relation to one face of said at annulus, and the bent projections on the ends of said legs Welded to said angle-shaped annuli.

HOMER L. MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNrrED s'r-ATES PATENTS 

